Seven years ago, a user of the Steam Controller subreddit found a prototype of the original Steam Controller at a local Goodwill. Recently, in a strange bit of luck, a second prototype has been found at Goodwill. If one more pops up at the same chain, one must assume that Gabe Newell is simply dropping them off at Goodwills around America. It’s the only rational assumption.
Taking to Reddit, user Waste-Set5032 shares that their dad happened upon the ‘Chell’ Steam Controller prototype at a Goodwill in Seattle. When one user ponders if the dad actually bought it, the dad steps in to confirm. He says, “I thought about letting this go, but I know my son is a fan of everything Valve, so I picked it up. On top of that, I now know my son’s Reddit handle.”
Seven years ago, another member of this Subreddit found a Chell Prototype in a Goodwill. Well, would you look at this, it happened twice. My dad in Seattle found one. from r/SteamController
The son in question is 14 and claims “finding things from Valve is like finding ancient relics for me”. He also says, “I love playing their older games like Portal 2 and Half Life because it feels like a bygone era of gaming and I love exploring it.” You’re not alone if reading that makes you feel like you’re crumbling into dust.
The Chell Steam Controller prototype is believed to be from around 2013 or 2014, which means the prototype’s new owner was around one or two years old when this prototype was created. It’s got a fairly familiar design to those who know the original Steam Controller, with its inward curved shape and two big trackpads on either side.
It is, however, missing face buttons on the right-hand side, with these being scattered around the middle of the controller instead. The prototype also moves the Select and Start buttons to the bottom of the controller, and also misses out on any sort of thumbsticks. All of that is to say the prototype is even stranger than the 2015 model.
The 2026 Steam Controller launched just a few months ago and is altogether a much better device, though it still retains some of that Valve weirdness (complimentary), featuring two thumbsticks and two trackpads.
FutureFuture
The original poster’s dad has managed to give the controller prototype a try and claims it “works as a generic controller”. However, he notes that the four buttons in the middle of the pad actually work as a D-Pad, with the top left button being up, the top right button being right, the bottom left button being left, and the bottom right being down.
Given it’s a prototype without the button layout and thumbsticks you’d expect from a modern controller, the Chell prototype likely isn’t something you’d use for competitive gaming, but it’s a neat relic of the past to have. It’s also a sign of how far Valve has come with regard to controller ergonomics in the last decade.
Unfortunately, we don’t know much more about the controller in regard to feel or compatibility. We also don’t know how much was paid for it. However, the prototype found seven years ago was reportedly bought for $8, which is $3 more than the OG Steam Controller was selling for when it was discontinued.
